Auto-mobile torpedo



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

M. E. HALL.

AUTO-MOBILE ToRPEDo.

(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 2. M. E. HALL.

AUTOMOBILE TORPEDO. N0. 387,353. Patented Aug. 7, 1888.

l I ily* lI [I4 a I Il; fxfffflfffff of the ring-trigger.

^ 'Ilnrrizo STATES PATENT rrrcio MARTIN ELLSWORTH HALL, OF THE UNITED STATES NAVY.

AUTO-MOBILE TORPEDO.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 387,353, dated August 7, 1888.

Application filed August l, 1857. Serial No. 245,875. (No model.)

To all wtom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARTIN ELLswoRrH HALL, ofthe United States Navy, a citizen of the District of Columbia, residing at Catskill, in the county of Greene and State of New York, have invented certa-in new and useful Improvements in Auto Mobile Torpedoes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in auto-mobile torpedoes.

The object is to provide an automatic lishtorpedo which, when propelled through the water, will take a course at a predetermined and an approximately constant depth.

A further object is to provide a torpedo which will right itself when tipped from its upright position.

A still further object is to provide a torpedo which will clear nets and obstructions and always explode beneath the bottom of a vessel.

To accomplish these objects I have devised the following mechanism, which is fully de-v scribed and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved torpedo. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section. Fig. 3 is a vertical section ot' the bow, showing the arrangement Fig. 4 is a View showing the operation of my torpedo against a vessel protected by nets.

A, B, and C represent three separate sections or compartmentsinto which my improved torpedo is divided. In the first of these is contained the iiring apparatus, magazine, and pectoral tins. A sharp-pointed tiring-pin, a, is loosely fitted in a sleeve, a', in the extreme end of compartment A. A spiral spring, of, surrounds a portion of this pin and by its tension tends to force the pin inward; but the pin is normally held in check by a trigger,b,which is pivoted in close proximity thereto,with one of its ends in engagement with the liringpin. In front ofthe pin and in the end of the sleeve a short rod, c, is located and adapted to be driven against the pin and break the lock of the trigger when the end ofthe torpedo strikes a vessel.

Immediately back of the firing-pin, and between the latter and the compartment B, is yieldingly suspended a magazine, g, by means of links or hangers IL. The magazine is somewhat smaller than the compartment A, and it is pivoted at its rear end, j. so as to allow a slight lateral movement, the magazine being centered by springs k when the torpedo is on an even keel; but when the torpedo rolls the pectoral finsl are brought into use. These fins normally rest over the ports h, through which the rods Z project in resting against the tins. Now, on rolling, say, to starboard, the forward end of the magazine swings to the right, pressing out the starboard tin, as shown by dotted lines, thus causing a greater resist ance on that side than upon the other and righting the torpedo. A roll in the opposite direction will of course result in a similar movement of' the port fin. Upon the torpedo regaining an upright position the magazine is again centered by gravity and springs k.

A primer, f, located in the end of the magazine near the tiring-pinta, explodes the charge when the pin strikes it after being freed by the rod c or trigger b.

Contiguous to compartment A is compartment B. As a motive power I prefer t0 employ gas, air, or steam, and this compartment B (which I shall henceforth term tiask B) is charged with such 'material through a snitable cock, m, the flask being surrounded with some non-conductor of heat when steam is employed. Within this flask the engine n lies, the gas (air or steam) being admitted thereto through throttle-valve n', controlled by means of a lever, o. The engine exhausts through pipe or conduitp, which is provided with a cheekyalve, q, to prevent water from entering the torpedo at the end of the run. The pipe p passes through still another compartment, C, termed the air-chamber, in which the depth of diving o the torpedo is regulated. This chamber has openings r r in the bottom to admit water into it when the water-press ure exceeds that ofthe atmosphere. rIhe stern of the torpedo is lighter than the bow when this chamber C is filled with air, so the bow is inclined slightly downward until sufficient water enters the chamber to produce an equilibrium. The greater the difference in weight between the bow and the stern the larger the quantity of water that must enter the airlOO chamber C. This necessitates higher compression of the air, and hence greater pressure of water (greater depth) to bring the torpedo to a horizontal position.

Should the torpedo be launched in a seaway, its initial angle of discharge might be so great as to carryit far below the required depth. In this case so much water would enter the airchamber G that the stern of the torpedo would become heavier than the bow, and, being inclined upward, the topedo would rise until an equilibrium was established.

The after compartment, s, of the air-cham ber forms the controller. By simply placing therein a greater or less weight a proportionately less or greater quantity of water in the air-chamber C will produce an equilibrium of the torpedo, and hence it will dive to a less or greater depth.

The buoyant grapnel c is placed, as shown in Fig. 1, before the torpedo is discharged. Upon striking the water the grapnel e is dragged off and aft by the pressure of water against it, and, being quite buoyant, it floats at a less depth than that for which the torpedo is regulated, and lhus fouls the protecting-net of a vessel that the torpedo itself passes under. The tow-line d, which connects with trigger b, is reeled up within the grapnel until the resistance of the water drags the grapnel aft. This tow-line is lightly stopped down along the top of the torpedo, and these stops are carried away before any strain is brought upon the trigger.

In Fig. 4 D, shows a vessel protected by nets. A is the torpedo, which, having passed under the net, is now in close proximity to the,.vessels bottom. e is the buoyant grapnel afoul of the net, and d the tow-lines set taut by the strain and about to trip the trigger b and iire the magazine of the torpedo. The torpedo is propelled in the ordinary manner, and as constructed it may be discharged by running directly into or against a vessel, or by striking the trigger b, or by means of the grapnel and tow-line disengaging the trigger just as though the latter were struck. Ordinarily these provisions are sufficient to always warrant the discharge of the torpedo at just the proper moment and in the proper place; but other means might be employed to make the discharge even more certain; and hence I do not wish to limit myself to the exact construction of these parts or to the exact construction of any part of my invention; but,

Having described my invention, whatIclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. In an auto-mobile torpedo, the combination,with ashell,of a movable magazine located in said shell, a firing-pin in position to discharge this magazine, and a trigger locatedin position to liberate the ring-pin,substantia1ly as set forth.

2. In an auto-mobile torpedo, the combination, with a shell and a movable magazine located in the shell or casing, of a set of pec toral tins connected with such shell, adapted to be outwardly extended by the movement of the magazine, substantially as set forth.

3. In an auto-mobile torpedo, the combination, with a shell and a magazine yieldingly supported therein, of a set of pectoral fins connected with the shell and adapted to be outwardly extended by the lateral movement of the magazine, and mechanism for discharging the magazine.

4t. The combination, with a shell or casing and a magazineyieldinglysupported in said casing, said magazine having a primer located therein, of a spring-actuated tiring-pin in position, when released, to discharge the primer, and a trigger for liberating this pin, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with a shell, a magazine yieldingly supported in said shell by springs and hangers, and a primer located in one end of the magazine, of a pair of pectoral iins connected with the shell and in position to be alternately outwardly extended by the lateral movement of the magazine, a springactuated firing-pin adapted to strike the primer when liberated, and a pivoted trigger for engaging or disengaging the firing-pin, substantially as set forth.

6. In an automobile torpedo, ashell provided with a magazine yieldingly suspended therein and suitable means for discharging the same, an immersion-chamber having unobstructed holes in its bottom, and a separate compartment of the air-chamber containing a suitable number of removable weights, whereby a proportionately less or greater quantity of water in the air-chamber will produce an equilibrium of the torpedo and control its submersion to a less or greater depth, substantially as described.

7. In a torpedo, the combination, with a pivoted trigger, a magazine, and a firing-pin normally held by said trigger, of a buoyant grapnel and a line connecting this grapnel to the trigger for the purpose of discharging the magazine when the grapnel is caught or ob structed, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination of a torpedo having a trigger thereon and a buoyant grapnel connected by a tow-line or cable to the trigger of the magazine for the purpose of discharging the same when the grapnel is caught or obstructed, substantially as set forth.

9. In a. torpedo, the combination, with a shell, amagazine therein, and aflring device, of a buoyant grapnel connected to the firing device and adapted, when engaged, to discharge the magazine, substantially as set forth.l

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MARTIN EliLSWOR-TH HALL.

Witnesses:

H. B. HLL, P. GARDNER CoFFIN.

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